Seeking Regional Quality Assurance Managers, Sylhet and Mymensingh

Background: Advancing Universal Health Coverage (AUHC) is a USAID-funded five-year project that that will facilitate the transformation of the Smiling Sun Network. AUHC will introduce innovative business and operational models, create research-based health service packages for the poor, and experiment with new health service delivery channels. AUHC will systematically use scientific and technical knowledge to design, develop, test, and evaluate potential new products and services (or improve existing ones) to advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Bangladesh.

To support USAID’s development objective to improve health and human capital in Bangladesh, this activity will develop a sustainable, pro-poor social enterprise to advance progress toward UHC. This activity will work toward five key objectives:  

• Develop and implement a program to transform the Smiling Sun network into a centrally managed, sustainable private social enterprise;
• Adopt proven innovative approaches to create new strategies to expand access to and uptake of essential service packages;
• Develop and implement sustainable financial systems to facilitate expanded coverage and ensure equitable access to health services;
• Improve quality of care; and
• Improve program strategies drawn from lessons learned (crosscutting).

Purpose: The Regional Quality Assurance Manager will be responsible for ensuring that services provided by the Surjer Hashi Group (SHG) service outlets, both static and satellite, are of the highest quality possible; and they are in line with the national quality improvement strategy. The job functions carried-out by this position will be done by providing on-site technical assistance and support to SHG clinic staff. While group training is often seen as the main solution to performance problems, AHUC’s approach is to solve technical skill problems on site through mentoring and coaching. The focus should be more on showing people what to do as opposed to telling them. The general approach to the work more towards support, capacity building and group problem-solving than oversight and inspection.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities: The Regional Quality Assurance Manager is expected to work independently with minimal direct day to day supervision.  To fulfill this role, the incumbent will spend most of their time in a clinic setting directly observing clinical services, and those functions that support the delivery of health services within the SHG network. Specific tasks include:

• Assisting the AUHC quality assurance team to develop quality monitoring tools and guidelines for effective implementation of the project activities;
• Advocating for, and raising the profile of quality assurance and quality improvement as a priority for the delivery of health services in the Division;
• If required, facilitating the formation of facility level Quality Improvement Committees;
• Identifying gaps and capacity building needs of the clinical staff. For those problems that cannot be solved on site, recommend training interventions as required;
• Facilitating meetings of the QI Committees at urban and rural facilities to ensure and improve adherence to clinical quality standards;
• Providing technical assistance to support the Quality Assurance team at the facility level in identifying quality improvement gaps, developing action plan in response, and follow up in the implementation of the action plan;
• When required, provide on job training and mentoring to the clinical staff on clinical service delivery, infection prevention, waste management, readiness with a special focus on operating theater, labor room, and lab for clinical quality standard;
• Providing support for measuring quality improvement indicators in service delivery sites, and facilitating the use of data to stimulate innovative action for resource mobilization, problem solving, and where needed training;
• Providing support to partners (NGOs/DPs) in division, districts and Upazila for quality improvement;
• Developing regular reports and presentations describing the progress of quality improvement activities;
• Providing support in record keeping, documenting improvement in the quality of health services, and summarizing success stories;
• Assisting the AUHC team developing quarterly performance reports, annual work plans and other project documents, and
• Other duties as assigned by the Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement Director.  

Qualifications: The successful candidate will possess the following:

• A degree in medicine is required. An advanced degree in public health, social science or another relevant field is preferred;
• A minimum of 5 years of experience working directly on quality improvement activities at clinic level; Working experience in MNH and FP will be given preference
• In-depth knowledge of the application of quality improvement tools and approaches in Bangladesh;
• Knowledge of NGO and private sector service delivery strongly preferred;
• Experience supervising quality assurance teams in clinical settings in Bangladesh required. Strong preference will be for candidates who have experience with rural service delivery;
• Demonstrated track record in facilitating process improvement activities that provide more efficient and effective workflow;
• Experience preparing and presenting results of improvement and ongoing performance measures of clinical processes within facilities to senior management and Documents detailing.
• Fluency in oral and written English.
• Positive attitude in traveling all throughout the country whenever needed.
• Efficient Computer Skill in MS word, Excel and Power Point.

Location of Assignment: One Regional Quality Assurance Manager will be assigned  to Mymensingh, while the other will be assigned to Sylhet. Each position requires with travel to field sites a minimum of 75% of time.

Supervision:  The Regional Quality Assurance Manager reports to the Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement Director.   

Application Instructions: Please submit your CV to bangladeshauhc@gmail.com by July 18, 2019. Please make the subject of your email Regional Quality Assurance Manager, and indicate the location you are interested in. Candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the positions are filled; early submission encouraged. No telephone inquiries please. Finalists will be contacted.